Basmati Rice in InstaPot

Saturday, April 6, 2019

As I am cooking a variant of an Indian dish this night. But it seems my sous chef is not feeling well, so I will also need to assume to role rice washer and cooker.

I’ll use a Basmati rice for this, wash EXTREMELY well, and thence take for a spin in my InstaPot. I’ll be going for a soft rice, so if you prefer your rice less soft, either do not rice or reduce the amount of liquid. (reduce by ~ 6 tbsp for 2 cups of rice)

From Wikipedia:

Basmati is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally from the Indian subcontinent. As of 2014, India exported 65% of the overseas basmati rice market, while Pakistan accounted for the remainder, according to the Indian state-run Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. However, many countries use domestically grown basmati rice crops.

Whilst many ways of cooking rice are touted, boiling, steaming, etc. I do not have the time. One might say the pressure is on. Thence this will be a pressure cooked side dish.

Basmati Rice in InstaPot

Ingredients

Instructions

In a strainer, rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. DRAIN WELL

Add the rice and water to the instapot

Close lid and pressure cook on manual at High Pressure for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and do 10 minutes Natural Release. Release the remaining pressure and open the lid carefully.

Fluff the rice and serve

Notes

One can use veggie stock in place of the water

If one adds 1 1/2 tbsp of lime juice to the cooking mixture, cooks as per the above instructions, thence adds 1/2 cup of fresh chopped cilantro, 1 1/2 tbsp additional lime juice and the zest of one lime, one can create a very passable cilantro rice dish.